Somehow Trump Taj Mahal just wouldn’t be ‘Trump’ if it didn’t go out with an episode of farce. An Atlantic City resident put the liquid into 
“liquidation” when he decided to take an impromptu shower in one of the vacant hotel rooms and video cameras were there to catch it. The man’s excuses were A) he wanted to make sure that the shower worked and B) the hot water was out at his house. However, Plan B was somewhat dampened by the fact that Mr. Clean didn’t think to bring soap, shampoo or towel. Somewhat forgetful, no?
“I mean, it’s a liquidation sale. They’re giving us a sample, so I wanted to see how the shower was. I thought maybe I could get a free shower,” rationalized the freeloader. “Some of the rooms had visible mold and peeling wallpaper,” reported The Press of Atlantic City. That’s par for the course for a hotel where half the elevators would have 
to be shut off just so Donald Trump could make a grand entrance, landing his helicopter on the roof. Seeking a piece of history — or just a good bargain — buyers lined up to bid on everything from TV sets to poker tables, part of Hard Rock International‘s purge of all vestiges of Taj Mahal from what will presumably be called Hard Rock Atlantic City. (Hard Rock is keeping the slots and the table games, although the former will surely need a refresh.) And oh yes, the white elephants — apt symbology if there was any — are up for grabs, now through September.
* Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli is waxing enthusiastic on the Las Vegas economy today. Why? Unemployment is below 5%, 
population growth has neared 2.5% for the past two years and average weekly wages have exceeded their 2007 peak. An ever larger percentage of the population is comprised of retirees, possibly putting a premium of potential wage-earners. Median homes prices are on the rise, too, having recovered 150% from their bottom point. In fact, they’re 15% above their prior apogee. We don’t pick stocks at S&G but if you were to invest in a locals casino company, now would seem to be as good a time as any.
* Here’s an idea that ought to be adapted to the Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas commute. It would certainly remove many of the longueurs of that haul. Imagine waking up in Vegas, refreshed and ready to hit the town. Throw in free wi-fi and butler service and what more could you ask? The $115 price might be a sticking point but it beats the hassle of flying or driving there yourself.
* As long as Hard Rock is sprucing up ex-Trump Taj Mahal, maybe it could use some Roomba Cats to help it with the herculean job of cleaning.
